Six tournaments. Six winners. One final table.
A season of the Tournament of Champions is six events. Each one is a multi-table tournament of 100 players, 6 to a table: the six members of the cast as the professionals in the field, and everyone else a mind written as hand charts, the same way a challenger is written. Win an event and you take a seat. When all six seats are filled, the six champions play the final table, and the winner of that wins the season.
Season 4: the seats
Next up: Season 4 · Event 6 of 6. Nobody sits twice: if an event is won by someone who already holds a seat, it goes to the best finisher who does not.
| Seat | Champion | Won |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosa Nakamura | Event 1 |
| 2 | Yuki Wolfe | Event 2 |
| 3 | Ugo Yoon | Event 3 |
| 4 | Marisol Varga | Event 4 |
| 5 | Priya Oyelaran | Event 5 |
| 6 | open | Event 6 |
Past champions: Season 1, Hattie Ueda · Season 2, Vi Rourke · Season 3, Rosa Shapiro
The episodes
Every event is played live, then cut into a series: Day One, the play-down, and the final table with every hand, uncut. Episodes appear here as they are released. One in the edit is exactly that: the tournament has been played, and the cut is being made.
The cast, against the field
Six pros in a field of ninety-four chart minds, every event. Auntie Rose was the first of them to win a seat (Season 2 · Event 3), and finished 2nd at the Season 2 final.
| Pro | Events | Cashes | Best finish | Seats | At a final | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auntie Rose | 24 | 7 | 1st · S2E3 | S2E3 | 2nd (Season 2) | 611,787 |
| The Professor | 23 | 2 | 4th · S2E3 | — | — | 118,459 |
| The Machine | 23 | 4 | 5th · S4E2 | — | — | 177,287 |
| Vera | 23 | 3 | 6th · S4E4 | — | — | 137,329 |
| Moose | 23 | 1 | 9th · S4E5 | — | — | 37,174 |
| Petey | 23 | 0 | 87th · S1E2 | — | — | 0 |
The events
Season 4 · Event 5
Priya Oyelaran won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 238 rounds · 1,648 hands · 2.9 h live · best of the cast: Moose, 9th (cashed)
The series has not been cut yet.
Season 4 · Event 4
Marisol Varga won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 226 rounds · 1,704 hands · 3.5 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 2nd (cashed)
The series has not been cut yet.
Season 4 · Event 3
Ugo Yoon won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 212 rounds · 1,560 hands · 3.6 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 4th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 68 players · 33 hands · ~52 min
Day One, Part 2
68 → 15 players · 33 hands · ~53 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 41 hands · ~53 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 31 hands · ~36 min
Season 4 · Event 2
Yuki Wolfe won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 244 rounds · 1,751 hands · 2.4 h live · best of the cast: The Machine, 5th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 72 players · 32 hands · ~49 min
Day One, Part 2
72 → 15 players · 35 hands · ~51 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 50 hands · ~53 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 57 hands · ~55 min
Season 4 · Event 1
Rosa Nakamura won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 229 rounds · 1,685 hands · 2.3 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 14th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 67 players · 32 hands · ~50 min
Day One, Part 2
67 → 15 players · 38 hands · ~51 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 48 hands · ~44 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 53 hands · ~43 min
Season 3 · The Final Table
Rosa Shapiro won it, and the season. 6 players · 86 rounds · 86 hands · 0 h live
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 86 hands · ~74 min
Season 3 · Event 6
Rosa Shapiro won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 218 rounds · 1,695 hands · 2.2 h live · best of the cast: Vera, 23rd
Day One, Part 1
100 → 80 players · 31 hands · ~46 min
Day One, Part 2
80 → 15 players · 36 hands · ~47 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 47 hands · ~44 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 19 hands · ~18 min
Season 3 · Event 5
Mack Sandoval won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 240 rounds · 1,659 hands · 3 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 9th (cashed)
Season 3 · Event 4
Odile Petrov won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 244 rounds · 1,675 hands · 1.8 h live · best of the cast: The Professor, 8th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 73 players · 31 hands · ~46 min
Day One, Part 2
73 → 15 players · 35 hands · ~48 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 46 hands · ~46 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 63 hands · ~51 min
Season 3 · Event 3
Birdie Coyle won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 279 rounds · 1,808 hands · 1.8 h live · best of the cast: The Machine, 15th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 73 players · 32 hands · ~47 min
Day One, Part 2
73 → 15 players · 38 hands · ~47 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 43 hands · ~43 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 87 hands · ~68 min
Season 3 · Event 2
Rosa Mbeki won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 265 rounds · 1,702 hands · 1.4 h live · best of the cast: The Professor, 61st
Day One, Part 1
100 → 77 players · 32 hands · ~47 min
Day One, Part 2
77 → 15 players · 34 hands · ~43 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 40 hands · ~41 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 82 hands · ~56 min
Season 3 · Event 1
Boone Iverson won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 273 rounds · 1,667 hands · 1.2 h live · best of the cast: The Professor, 32nd
Day One, Part 1
100 → 67 players · 32 hands · ~45 min
Day One, Part 2
67 → 15 players · 33 hands · ~42 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 44 hands · ~42 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 100 hands · ~80 min
Season 2 · The Final Table
Vi Rourke won it, and the season. 6 players · 78 rounds · 78 hands · 0.5 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 2nd (cashed)
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 78 hands · ~78 min
Season 2 · Event 6
Vi Rourke won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 229 rounds · 1,731 hands · 1.4 h live · best of the cast: The Machine, 9th (cashed)
Season 2 · Event 5
Carmen Vasquez won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 259 rounds · 1,778 hands · 1.5 h live · best of the cast: Vera, 31st
Season 2 · Event 4
Tess Novak won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 257 rounds · 1,792 hands · 1.7 h live · best of the cast: Vera, 20th
Day One, Part 1
100 → 71 players · 34 hands · ~49 min
Day One, Part 2
71 → 15 players · 36 hands · ~43 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 48 hands · ~41 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 69 hands · ~47 min
Season 2 · Event 3
Auntie Rose won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 304 rounds · 1,815 hands · 3.2 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 1st (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 74 players · 31 hands · ~47 min
Day One, Part 2
74 → 15 players · 35 hands · ~48 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 53 hands · ~54 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 110 hands · ~87 min
Season 2 · Event 2
Gil Rourke won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 241 rounds · 1,751 hands · 1.8 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 19th
Season 2 · Event 1
Moss Whitlock won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 301 rounds · 1,789 hands · 1.5 h live · best of the cast: The Machine, 6th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 78 players · 33 hands · ~47 min
Day One, Part 2
78 → 15 players · 34 hands · ~45 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 45 hands · ~51 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 101 hands · ~71 min
Season 1 · The Final Table
Hattie Ueda won it, and the season. 6 players · 69 rounds · 69 hands · 0 h live
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 69 hands · ~61 min
Season 1 · Event 6
Omar Draper won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 224 rounds · 1,504 hands · 1.4 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 42nd
Season 1 · Event 5
Orla Baptiste won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 252 rounds · 1,494 hands · 1.4 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 37th
Day One, Part 1
100 → 81 players · 30 hands · ~42 min
Day One, Part 2
81 → 15 players · 31 hands · ~42 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 36 hands · ~40 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 74 hands · ~54 min
Season 1 · Event 4
Hattie Shapiro won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 238 rounds · 1,572 hands · 2.1 h live · best of the cast: The Machine, 16th
Season 1 · Event 3
Vern Wolfe won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 238 rounds · 1,461 hands · 1.8 h live · best of the cast: Vera, 7th (cashed)
Day One, Part 1
100 → 72 players · 30 hands · ~45 min
Day One, Part 2
72 → 15 players · 34 hands · ~43 min
The Play-Down
15 → 6 players · 45 hands · ~44 min
The Final Table
6 → 1 players · 68 hands · ~57 min
Season 1 · Event 2
Dmitri Imani won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 209 rounds · 1,338 hands · 1 h live · best of the cast: The Professor, 30th
Season 1 · Event 1
Hattie Ueda won it, and a seat at the final table. 100 players · 250 rounds · 1,207 hands · 2 h live · best of the cast: Auntie Rose, 17th
Day One, Part 1
100 → 82 players · 31 hands · ~43 min
Day One, Part 2
82 → 15 players · 34 hands · ~45 min
The Play-Down
15 → 5 players · 50 hands · ~41 min
The Final Table
5 → 1 players · 77 hands · ~55 min
How it is played, and how you see it
The tournament is played live, all of it, every table in lockstep: you can watch the rail as it happens, with featured hands cut a few minutes behind the room. Every table moves in lockstep: one hand per table per round, so the blinds rise on the same hand for the whole room. Then the studio cuts it into a series the way the televised main events are cut: Day One, from the first hand to the money bubble; the play-down, in the money to the final table; and the final table, every hand, in order, uncut, however long it takes. A pro's hand is shown from inside that pro's head. Everything else is the table cut: every card up, every mind in the order it spoke. Nothing is predicted and nothing is staged; it is post-production of something that already happened.
The latest event
Priya Oyelaran
Champion · 268,586 in play chips · The regular
“Opens the right hands from the right seats.”
100 → 1
238 rounds · level 20 · 1,648 hands · 14,088 decisions
55% of hands saw a flop, 24% went to showdown.
The bubble
Omar Oyelaran went out in 16th, one place short of the money, in round 142.
The pros
| Place | Pro | Out in round | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th | Moose | 161 | 37,174 |
| 20th | Auntie Rose | 132 | — |
| 65th | The Professor | 68 | — |
| 78th | Vera | 58 | — |
| 91st | The Machine | 43 | — |
| 99th | Petey | 19 | — |
The money
| Place | Player | Style | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Priya Oyelaran | regular | 268,586 |
| 2nd | Ray Rasmussen | maniac | 143,926 |
| 3rd | Fern Abernathy | rock | 99,921 |
| 4th | Nell Imani | loose-aggressive pro | 77,128 |
| 5th | Carmen Delacroix | loose-aggressive pro | 63,094 |
| 6th | Odile Yoon | loose-aggressive pro | 53,546 |
| 7th | Gus Boudreaux | regular | 46,609 |
| 8th | June Yardley | calling station | 41,331 |
| 9th | Moose | cast | 37,174 |
| 10th | Walt Nakamura | regular | 32,421 |
| 11th | Xan Sandoval | rock | 32,421 |
| 12th | Moss Imani | regular | 26,790 |
| 13th | Cass Abernathy | rock | 26,790 |
| 14th | Otis Falk | rock | 26,790 |
| 15th | Marisol Dunleavy | rock | 23,473 |
Every shuffle is provable
The seating draw, every table break, every balancing move and every deck in the tournament derive from one master seed. Its hash was fixed before the first hand; the seed is revealed after the last. Re-derive any hand and you get the same cards.
commitment c55ec8eab175a21eb1659c85a055fcc5ade715673fb9f15a3c359f2b9175df25
seed 8c69b5026a4c0209d9bf3dcb0451a72a
The room
A field player is a set of hand matrices written from a style: how tight, how aggressive, how sticky, and whether they know what to do with a short stack. The room is filled on purpose the way a real one fills itself: mostly weak, a few strong. Every entrant has a name, and is the same person in every replay.
| Share | Player | In their own words |
|---|---|---|
| 28% | The calling station | Calls to see what you had. |
| 22% | The regular | Solid. Annoyingly solid. |
| 20% | The rock | Waits for aces. Gets them twice a night. |
| 12% | The loose-aggressive pro | Raises your blind every orbit and dares you. |
| 10% | The nit | Folds the second nuts to be safe. |
| 8% | The maniac | Every chip is already in the middle in spirit. |
The structure
10,000 chips to start, 200 big blinds deep. A level lasts 12 rounds. No antes, no rebuys, no re-entry: a bust is final. The top 15% are paid. Tables break as the field shrinks and balance to within one player; when the field fits on one table, everyone redraws for a seat.
| Level | Blinds | Level | Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 / 50 | 16 | 4,000 / 8,000 |
| 2 | 50 / 100 | 17 | 5,000 / 10,000 |
| 3 | 75 / 150 | 18 | 6,000 / 12,000 |
| 4 | 100 / 200 | 19 | 8,000 / 16,000 |
| 5 | 150 / 300 | 20 | 10,000 / 20,000 |
| 6 | 200 / 400 | 21 | 15,000 / 30,000 |
| 7 | 300 / 600 | 22 | 20,000 / 40,000 |
| 8 | 400 / 800 | 23 | 30,000 / 60,000 |
| 9 | 500 / 1,000 | 24 | 40,000 / 80,000 |
| 10 | 600 / 1,200 | 25 | 50,000 / 100,000 |
| 11 | 800 / 1,600 | 26 | 60,000 / 120,000 |
| 12 | 1,000 / 2,000 | 27 | 80,000 / 160,000 |
| 13 | 1,500 / 3,000 | 28 | 100,000 / 200,000 |
| 14 | 2,000 / 4,000 | 29 | 150,000 / 300,000 |
| 15 | 3,000 / 6,000 | 30 | 200,000 / 400,000 |
| Place | Of a 1,000-entry pool |
|---|---|
| 1st | 1,412,476 (14.1%) |
| 2nd | 756,887 (7.6%) |
| 3rd | 525,471 (5.3%) |
| 4th | 405,605 (4.1%) |
| 5th | 331,806 (3.3%) |
| 6th | 281,593 (2.8%) |
| 7th | 245,115 (2.5%) |
| 8th | 217,358 (2.2%) |
| 9th | 195,496 (2.0%) |
| 150th | 17,089 (the min-cash) |
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